Thursday, February 27, 2014

A stark reality of this life...

Exotic islands. Goregous water. Beautiful sunsets and the love of being a part of nature versus seeing it from abroad. These are all true and they are all part of the life we see and how we envision life aboard a boat. But there is another stark reality that I should share. It is rarely discussed or considered before we take off, but for most of us, it eventually tracks us down. What is it?  Losing touch with family amd friends. 

Do we still call?  Absolutely.  Do they follow us on Facebook or our blog?  Of course. But the reality is that you are likely hundreds to thousands of miles from those you love. Nothing can replace being with them and sooner or later, something happens.  The call comes in. It did for us a couple of nights ago. 

Christie's grandmother, who raised her until she was about 9 and took the place of her mother after her mom died (when Christie was 8), is becoming very ill. We were told to get to North Carolina as quickly as possible. 

Many thoughts go through your head. There is a level of regret and certainly a lot of questioning. "Did we do the right thing going boating?"  "Should we have stayed close instead?"  "Is it worth it?"  

There is no right or wrong answer here. It is one of the tradeoffs for doing this life. And while no one wants to talk about it and fewer truly realize its ramifications until their 'call comes in', it is something we all must balance as we set sail for the beautiful places that beckon us away. My only suggestion is to remember why you do this. Remember why you left. For me, as I put in another round of homeschooling, I balance it with my kids who wake up with me every day. I am showing them a life few can do, and fewer still will ever do. Others dream of it. We live it. Yet, it doesn't come without its stark realities and it does not make them any easier to swallow. 


1 comment:

  1. Well said Brian. You have hit the nail on the head.

    When we left the first time leaving family was by far the hardest thing.

    Craig(chall03 on SN)

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